


Four Is A Lucky Number

by Seedcounty



Category: Far Cry: New Dawn
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-10 19:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20533424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seedcounty/pseuds/Seedcounty
Summary: Three times Nick tried to talk to the Judge & the one time Judge talked back.





	Four Is A Lucky Number

**Author's Note:**

> After replaying both 5 & ND I realized how much I love Nick/Dep/Judge and the potential of angst there !

When the dust finally settles and Armageddon seems to be making a withdraw, only then does the Rye family begin to find their friends; begin to start a new in this forsaken world. It takes weeks before things start to feel normal, before Nick even sees a smile crack across Kim's face; but it happens eventually. This new world is nothing compared to what they're used to, it will take time to get used to it; though even after months of living without electricity Nick isn't entirely sure he wants to get used to it. For starters it's sure as shit no place to raise a child, and damn near every monumental building he's grown so fond of has been busted into a million pieces. How is he supposed to keep positive about the creation of a new society when everyone is so bloody negative, when they're all so sullen. God, he can't even recall the last time he's seen Sharky crack a joke.

"Nick!" It's the sound of terror that hits him like a brick to the face, terror in the tone of someone familiar. KIM. Attention is snapped forth from internal thought process and suddenly he understands the fear in Kim's voice because for the first time in years? Joseph fucking Seed has made his presence known. Initial reaction sparks overwhelming anger into Nick before gaze ventures to the figure standing at Joseph's side, instant confusion and relief spark only to mix into anger once more. "Dep?" Barely above a whisper while steps are taken forward, ignoring the way Kim calls for him to get back inside the house; ignoring everything in his body screaming to take his knife and shove it into Joseph's skull. Is it Joseph that has kept the Deputy alive this whole time? Was Joseph the reason that she was alive after all this time? Could he really be angry at a man willing to save the woman who had killed his three siblings? Apparently so. "Dep --- hey!" A hand is reaching towards the woman he once knew but when gaze meets gaze all he sees is an empty shell, vacant from years of Joseph's company no doubt. It's a lost cause proven by Joseph's voice crackling through as he guides the Deputy away from Nick's grasp, and while rationale indicates that he should follow if only to try and get his friend back, Nick unfortunately knows better.

For ten months life was perfect, or as close to perfect as one could get when you were living in a post apocalyptic world. Carmina was growing like a weed and healthy, Kim and him were together and their friends were banding together and building more communities as they went. For those ten months never once had Nick thought of Joseph Seed or his mind washed Deputy, for those ten months his mind had been remotely at peace. Until of course he found himself face to face with said brain washed deputy, only now she doesn't hold the same resemblance as she used to. The notion of hunting down a buck for the weekly community dinner has vanished from his mind in favor of following the Godmother of his daughter. Rustling of drying leaves around them as he chases after her slowly become like a melody lulling Nick into a false sense of security, he's so very desperate to follow her to be able to finally get some answers from her. "Deputy!" Once more he tries to call to her, tries to bring her out of whatever trance she is in. "Holy shit!" Curse falls as he nearly tumbles over the edge of a cliff, a hand reaching out against his forearm to pull him back but just as swiftly the contact has dissipated and he's left swaying awkwardly until all that supports him is a tree. "That coulda been bad." Mumbling to himself gaze ventures up to his saviour and tormenter, chest rising and falling heavily while nerves begin to settle. Low grunt is all that is granted in return though Nick's quite certain it's her way of saying you're welcome. There's still too many questions on his mind, too many what ifs and what's happened? Tongue brushes across his bottom lip slowly, silently debating within himself what the next course of action is. "You're still in there, aren't you Dep?" Silence over takes the two of them for so long Nick wonders if the shell of the Deputy even heard him in the first place. She's moving to stand by the edge of the cliff and Nick swears he can see the gears turning in her head, like they used to right before a big take down, before they went to liberate an outpost together. And then she's taking off once more and leaving him with nothing but more questions and an ache slow growing in his chest.

Crimson coats thick digits as pressure continues to hold, attempting to still the pain that continues to run rampant through his system but with each breath he takes Nick's vision becomes hazier and hazier. He can feel himself growing colder as the seconds tick by, can hear the faintest of movements around him but eyes are too weak to remain open. What he tries to focus on is the new added pressure to his side and the lilac scent comforting him into slumber, the hope that it won't be permanent. COLD -- Jesus fucking Christmas why he is suddenly so cold? And, wet. Heavy lids blink open once, twice and then a third time as images begin to come together. "Where --- " His throat is dry, terribly so. Swallowing only to suck in another breath his gaze roams around the dim lit room, a hand coming up in front of his face; yes he's certainly still alive. But the question is, where is he? Shuffling from the far end of the room is the first indication that he isn't alone, figure dressed in leathered pants and hooded fur approaches with such vast speed that Nick's instinct is to back away. Unfortunately all that gets him is a sharp pain shooting into his side and grunts of displeasure from the figure, who is now so close that Nick's able to recognize the face. "Deputy." The realization hits him as harshly as the pressing of cold cloth to naked skin, at least now he knows why he was cold and wet. Hiss of pain leaves him in wave of another grunt from the woman shaped into whatever she was now, "We -- ah SHIT ! We have to stop meeting like this." Jokes it seemed was the only thing Nick can find himself focusing on, because if he focuses on the pain he isn't sure how long he'll stay awake. There's a twitch of a smile against Deputy's face, her ministrations continue as she cleans his wounds and it's that smallest notion of a smile that has Nick hopeful that perhaps she really is still in there. That perhaps all of Joseph Seeds cult brain washing, didn't really destroy her.

For three god damn hours Nick has been laid up on this stupid bed and each time he's tried to move the Deputy has popped out from wherever the fuck she keeps disappearing to and grunting at him to get back into bed; never halting until he does as she requests. "Kim's going to be wondering where I am, you know." Perhaps he had been too trusting of this new Deputy, maybe this was all a trick from Joseph himself. Maybe it had been Deputy that shot him in the first place, solely to bring him to this cabin in an attempt to keep him docile until Joseph could show up and kill him once and for all. "Carmina is doing well." Perhaps that would help remind Deputy of the life they had once lived, maybe the mention of her goddaughter would in still some sense into her. "Wish I had more photos of you to show her, y'know? Kim says it ain't that important because you ain't like us anymore." There's a low grunt from the deputy, almost sullen sounding. "I think she's wrong." Nick knows it probably isn't a good idea to voice his opinion like this, to be truthful to someone that could easily be an enemy still. "I know you're still in there, Dep. You wouldn't have saved me if you weren't." It's a movement that could ether get him pushed further into chaos or allow him some room for hopefully, the ability to pull her out of Seeds trance. Carefully hand is lain over her own, fingers daring to twitch shut and squeeze; gaze snapping up to meet that of the Deputy's. Briefly he wonders if he's made a break through but then she's snatching her hand back and standing with brisk fluidity, head shaking over and over in the negative before she's grabbing her gun and storming from the cabin. The door is left wide open for the first time since he woke and Nick can't help but hate himself as he pushes himself up and out of the bed, ignoring the alarming pain that proceeds to over take him as he stumbles out of the cabin. He needs to find his way back to Kim.

This is what he gets for trying to be nice and save a New Edener from the Highwaymen. He hadn't anticipated any form of 'Thank You' from those at New Eden for shoving a bullet into two of the Highway Men that had kept a woman hostage, and yet the woman had INSISTED on dragging his ass back to the compound, uttering shit about how Ethan needs to know what he did to save her. Blah blah fucking blah, it blended together but now? Shit, now Nick regrets going along with it because now he's very obviously out of place and if he thought the cult had been bad before? This shit is something else. God damn fur outfits, bows and arrows the whole nine yards. Sharky and Hurk aren't going to believe this shit. "It's not every day we get visitors to New Eden, let alone one whom has saved one of our own." His voice gets on Nicks nerves and he's only been there for fifteen minutes. The whispers of being an outsider is enough to have his eyes rolling so far back into his skull Nick's positive they'll stay there. They don't. "It is a long way back to your home from the river -- Stay tonight, let us offer you a play to lay your head and food to fill your stomach in thanks for the life you've saved." Before he can even offer a rebuttal Ethan Seed has dismissed the crowd, leaving Nick alone to fend for himself with a masked figure staring him down. Is he supposed to wait until the food is ready? What -- Oh. Hand is waved in gesture from the masked figure, what Nick assumes is a 'follow me' movement. The silence is odd to the point of confusion though feet do follow, thoughts turning and then -- "Shit...Deputy?" Is that who is behind the mask? Is this stony figure his former friend? The constant cat and mouse game they've been playing for months, will this opportunity give Nick time to finally figure out what the hell truly happened to her? How fucked up had Joseph made her after the apocalypse? Majorly it seems, but how? How did she go from being the person he knew, to a literal lap dog to Joseph and Ethan Seed? There's a loud grunt in front of him, gaze venturing upward as he finds himself in front of a small homely looking cottage; something that obviously the New Edeners built themselves. "Uh --- " Another grunt that sounds overly exasperated comes from Deputy as she pushes open the door and steps inside, leaving Nick in the open before he slowly moves forward. There's a constant nagging voice in the back of his mind, telling him it's a trap that all of this is somehow Joseph's way of getting in his mind and moulding him like he moulded Deputy. Yet nothing but warmth greets him as he enters, and surprisingly? It's very welcoming inside the cottage though one thing hits him in realization. "You live here, huh?" Pink brushes across bottom lip in habitual nature, shaking his head with a low whistle. "Fancy digs, Dep. Ain't no bunker I'm sure but it makes due." 

Heavy foot falls carry him over to a wooden chair, plopping down onto it with a heavy sigh. "How the fuck did I get myself into this shit." It's a mutterance under his breath, hand running over his features slowly. It takes a second as surprise flitters over his face once more, Deputy's mask now at the waist side gripped tightly in her hand, features scrunched up into an unreadable expression. "....Dep?" It's cautious as it falls, curious as to what's on her mind. Was it something that he said earlier? Did she not like the fact that he brought up the bunker? The silence becomes overwhelming as the seconds tick by, the two of them simply staring at one another in the dimly lit cottage; confusion and nervous nature. What feels like ten minutes come to pass before another sigh leaves Nick and he's pushing himself up out of the chair, heading toward the door as this is clearly a bad fucking idea. He's just going to go home like he's supposed to, kick off his boots and sleep for the next two weeks. "Nick." Entire body comes to a halt, fingers tight on the door handle, white with tension. No, he's hearing things. He has to be. And yet --- he's turning around slow, eyes blown wide in shock. The Deputy's much closer than Nick anticipated her being, mask seemingly forgotten about as he notices it on the floor; eyes finding her own a moment later. "You ---You spoke." Obviously, but it's still surprising given it's been months...shit no, YEARS since he's heard her voice. "You fucking spoke!" Rushed steps are taken towards smaller frame, arms engulfing without giving it much thought, hand cradling into soft tresses. "I knew you were still in there ! God fucking damn it Dep, everyone kept sayin' you were a total goner!" There's no tension in her form, but there's no sense of retaliating relief, no return of embrace. Nick can't bring himself to care because god damn it, he HEARD her voice. She's still in there and this is a break through.

He can hear a humming as though she's trying to find her voice again, but nothing comes aside from the melodic sound; if this had been years back Nick might have questioned if it had anything to do with the Seeds mind control. "You gotta come back with me, Dep. You could finally see your Goddaughter, I know Carmina would love to meet you." Kim would be another story, he knows that. He knows that Kim won't agree with any of this, because Nick's focused far too much on Deputy since finding out she was alive, because Kim thinks it's a waste of time. It isn't. Nick knows it isn't, and look where he is. "Nick." There's his name again and god, he swears it's like he's been without water for a decade and suddenly he's drowning. Pulling back to face her Nick takes a sharp breath in, "Jesus Christ -- Dep you cryin'?" The saline lining her eyes don't miss his gaze, brows furrowing while thumbs move up to brush the few that have indeed fallen. Shaky fingers have curled around his wrist, the contact forcing a breath out of him. "I missed you." Her voice sounds so broken, hollow and terribly pained. All he wants to do is carry her out of this cult laden shit show and ensure she can heal herself, but in the back of her mind? Nick knows that it won't happen. "Christ I fuckin' missed you too, Dep." This time it's her that enacts the embrace and before Nick can even wrap his arms around her, she's crying into his shoulder. Yeah, Nick knows now that despite everything? Deputy won't go back with him, this is their hello and their goodbye. Nick knows that until Joseph Seed is officially eradicated from this world, Deputy will never leave his side. It's that night that Nick vows if it's the last thing he does, he'll ensure somehow or someway Joseph Seed will die within the year.


End file.
